


Absolve

by notjustmom



Series: Words, Words, Words [11]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Bit of Fluff, M/M, Post Reichenbach Return, Post-Reichenbach, bit of angst, okay more angst than fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-07
Updated: 2015-11-07
Packaged: 2018-04-30 10:40:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5160752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notjustmom/pseuds/notjustmom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>absolve: verb; ub-ZAHLV: to set free from an obligation or the consequences of guilt; late Middle English: from Latin absolvere ‘set free, acquit,’ from ab- ‘from’ + solvere ‘loosen.’</p>
            </blockquote>





	Absolve

Honestly, he never expected John to absolve him of that one act of betrayal. He had thought that one day they would just stop talking about it, but that it would always be the elephant in the room. 

As he stood in front of his best friend, now lover, in the shower with the water caressing the scars and bruises, he wondered at the gentleness of his gaze. 

"How-?" He started.  
"Because I choose to, love." John picked up the bottle of body wash, the one he had always teased him about in the past, poured a small amount into his hand, and began. He picked up his right hand and washed it, lovingly, then rinsed it, and kissed each finger, then the center of his palm. 

God, he thought, I could come just from this. He forced himself to remain standing, tense and alert, until John wrapped his arms around him and whispered, "let go, love, I have you. You are safe, you are home, let go. Let go, I won't let you fall again."

Sherlock crumpled against him, and they slowly folded into each other, until John was cradling him, stroking his face, kissing his throat, working his way down his chest, pardoning him inch by inch. Sherlock could no longer tell if it was the water from the shower, his tears or John's that was running down his face. He closed his eyes and simply felt. He felt John's hands trace each scar, felt him tense as he found the wound that almost killed him in that alley in Berlin. He felt John collapse around him, and then felt him sob.

"John-please? I'm so sorry-please forgive me?"

"Don't you know, love? I forgave you the minute you walked back into my life, I need you to forgive yourself. For me?" John reached down and with feather touches brought Sherlock to the edge and over, kissing him until the water ran cold.


End file.
